Fish in Overflow

rogermccray · 01/31/2013, 09:44 AM

The title sums up the situation, my Mcoskers Flasher Wrasse is stuck in the overflow and I have had no luck in getting him out. First, I tried netting him out but he just hides behind the pipes and i can't get him. Then I tried to syphon him out into a bucket using vinyl tube, but I didn't catch him (I am going to try this again to see if I have better results). I thought about trying to syphon out all the water but I can't reach the bottom and still see so I am worried I would not be able to get him out before he "drowned" in the air. I have also tried filling the over flow with sand to force the water level up, but all I managed to do was bury him in the sand.

I would love to be able to just yank the durso pipes and let him take a ride to the sump but the dursos were siliconed in when I bought the tank and I just left them like that.

Currently I have the overflows filled to the top with water and am just hoping he will jump back into the tank (I have no hope this will happen though).

Any ideas would be appreciated.

gone fishin · 01/31/2013, 09:49 AM

There was a post awhile back where the guy filled the overflow with sand very slowly over the course of a day so the fish did not get buried. Good luck

usmc121581 · 01/31/2013, 09:50 AM

I have heard of people filling the overflow with sand (slowly). This will bring the fish up closer to the top so that you can net him. Then to remove the sand they siphon it out with tubing. into a bucket. You would have to keep adding water into the overflow to allow all the sand to be siphoned.

Also I dont think they add all the sand in at one time, they slowly add it over time.

rogermccray · 01/31/2013, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by usmc121581

I have heard of people filling the overflow with sand (slowly). This will bring the fish up closer to the top so that you can net him. Then to remove the sand they siphon it out with tubing. into a bucket. You would have to keep adding water into the overflow to allow all the sand to be siphoned.

Also I dont think they add all the sand in at one time, they slowly add it over time.

That's true, I can add a cup of sand every so often instead of just doing it all at once like I did. I did it slowly, a cup at a time, but not as slow as doing a little at a time.

rworegon · 01/31/2013, 10:17 AM

I would cover the overflow once you get him out.

rogermccray · 01/31/2013, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rworegon

I would cover the overflow once you get him out.

Yup. I have already covered the other one.

Palting · 01/31/2013, 10:24 AM

If the overflow pipes are only siliconed in, as you say, they are easy to take off. There is no true boding of the elements, unlike PVC glue, so you can easily twist them off. When you are done catching the wrasse that is now in your sump, you can easily clean off the old silicone, apply a very thin bead again, and reassemble. I know, since that's what I do

!

Then, get one of those black plastic clipboards, cut them to shape and oversize them just a little to your overflows, and cover the overflow. Oversizing gives the cover a little bit of an overhang, discouraging fish jumping. This will not only keep the fish from going into the overflows, it will also black the light and prevent algae growing in your overflows.

gone fishin · 01/31/2013, 10:34 AM

I like the black plastic clipboard idea thanks.

rogermccray · 01/31/2013, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palting

If the overflow pipes are only siliconed in, as you say, they are easy to take off. There is no true boding of the elements, unlike PVC glue, so you can easily twist them off. When you are done catching the wrasse that is now in your sump, you can easily clean off the old silicone, apply a very thin bead again, and reassemble. I know, since that's what I do

!

Then, get one of those black plastic clipboards, cut them to shape and oversize them just a little to your overflows, and cover the overflow. Oversizing gives the cover a little bit of an overhang, discouraging fish jumping. This will not only keep the fish from going into the overflows, it will also black the light and prevent algae growing in your overflows.

Ugh, I was wrong he did use PVC glue, so the first bit of advice won't help, but I do like the clipboard idea. Do you just silicone that on?

fishgate · 01/31/2013, 10:54 AM

Have you tried at night when he is sleeping?

rogermccray · 01/31/2013, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishgate

Have you tried at night when he is sleeping?

Nope, I will do that tonight, forgot that they get a little slower at night. Will shining a flashlight on them "wake them up" at all?

Palting · 01/31/2013, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogermccray

Ugh, I was wrong he did use PVC glue, so the first bit of advice won't help, but I do like the clipboard idea. Do you just silicone that on?

I have corner overflows, so it sits on the corner lips of the tank trim held there by it's own weight. I suppose you could silicone it in.

rogermccray · 01/31/2013, 09:40 PM

A successful night time extraction has occurred!!

aleggett321 · 01/31/2013, 09:45 PM

Yay! I love happy endings.

01/31/2013, 09:44 AM	#1
rogermccray Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 1,050	Fish in Overflow The title sums up the situation, my Mcoskers Flasher Wrasse is stuck in the overflow and I have had no luck in getting him out. First, I tried netting him out but he just hides behind the pipes and i can't get him. Then I tried to syphon him out into a bucket using vinyl tube, but I didn't catch him (I am going to try this again to see if I have better results). I thought about trying to syphon out all the water but I can't reach the bottom and still see so I am worried I would not be able to get him out before he "drowned" in the air. I have also tried filling the over flow with sand to force the water level up, but all I managed to do was bury him in the sand. I would love to be able to just yank the durso pipes and let him take a ride to the sump but the dursos were siliconed in when I bought the tank and I just left them like that. Currently I have the overflows filled to the top with water and am just hoping he will jump back into the tank (I have no hope this will happen though). Any ideas would be appreciated.

01/31/2013, 09:49 AM	#2
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	There was a post awhile back where the guy filled the overflow with sand very slowly over the course of a day so the fish did not get buried. Good luck __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

01/31/2013, 09:50 AM	#3
usmc121581 Where am I? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Abingdon, maryland Posts: 1,671 Blog Entries: 1	I have heard of people filling the overflow with sand (slowly). This will bring the fish up closer to the top so that you can net him. Then to remove the sand they siphon it out with tubing. into a bucket. You would have to keep adding water into the overflow to allow all the sand to be siphoned. Also I dont think they add all the sand in at one time, they slowly add it over time. __________________ I prefer not to think before I speak, I like to be just as surprised as everyone else by what comes out of my mouth. Current Tank Info: I have a 180 gal mostly LPS corals, it contains 1 Val. Tang, 1 yellow striped clown fish, 3 percula clownfish, a blood shrimp, cleaner shrimp and a sand shifting goby, 5 pajama cardinals, 1 green chromis. Also a 75 gal. sump/fug.

01/31/2013, 10:24 AM	#7
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	If the overflow pipes are only siliconed in, as you say, they are easy to take off. There is no true boding of the elements, unlike PVC glue, so you can easily twist them off. When you are done catching the wrasse that is now in your sump, you can easily clean off the old silicone, apply a very thin bead again, and reassemble. I know, since that's what I do ! Then, get one of those black plastic clipboards, cut them to shape and oversize them just a little to your overflows, and cover the overflow. Oversizing gives the cover a little bit of an overhang, discouraging fish jumping. This will not only keep the fish from going into the overflows, it will also black the light and prevent algae growing in your overflows. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

01/31/2013, 10:34 AM	#8
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	I like the black plastic clipboard idea thanks. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

01/31/2013, 10:17 AM	#5
rworegon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oregon Posts: 130	I would cover the overflow once you get him out.

01/31/2013, 10:54 AM	#10
fishgate Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Damascus, MD Posts: 3,340	Have you tried at night when he is sleeping? __________________ 125RR in-wall, 40B Sump, CS180 BM Skimmer, ATI 4x80 watt, eheim 1262, custom wrap around rock wall, ReefKeeper Elite 120g in-wall, 40B Sump, PC 54wx4, Jabao DC-6000 (full siphon), future seahorse t Current Tank Info: 125g, 120g, 2x40b sumps, ATI 4x80 T5HO

01/31/2013, 09:40 PM	#13
rogermccray Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 1,050	A successful night time extraction has occurred!!

01/31/2013, 09:45 PM	#14
aleggett321 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Agoura, SoCal Posts: 137	Yay! I love happy endings. __________________ April 4 out of 3 people struggle with math.